Methods, systems, and computer program products for sharing information for detecting an idle tcp connection

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for sharing information for detecting an idle TCP connection. In one aspect, a first packet is received from a first node by a second node. A header is detected, in the first packet, identifying metadata for a period. During the period no non-empty packet, sent in a connection by the second node, is received by the first node. A timeout is detected, based on the metadata, associated with the connection. In response to the timeout, a packet is sent in the connection to the first node and/or the connection is deactivated. In another aspect, information identifying metadata for a period is received by a first node. During the period no non-empty packet, sent in a connection by the second node, is received by the first node. A packet is generated that includes a header identifying the metadata. The packet is sent to the second node.

1 . A method for sharing information for detecting an idle TCP connection, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a second node from a first node, a first transmission control protocol (TCP) packet;   detecting a TCP option header, in the first TCP packet, identifying metadata for a period, detectable by the first node, during which no TCP packet including data in a first TCP data stream sent, in a TCP connection, by the second node is received by the first node;   detecting a timeout, based on the metadata, associated with the TCP connection; and   in response to detecting the timeout, at least one of sending a TCP packet in the TCP connection to the first node and deactivating the TCP connection.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising modifying, based on the metadata, by the second node a timeout attribute associated with the TCP connection. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the timeout is detected based on the timeout attribute: 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the timeout attribute is an attribute of at least one of a TCP keep-alive option, a TCP user timeout, a retransmission timeout, and an acknowledgment timeout. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the TCP connection is identified by a first connection endpoint and a second connection endpoint, and the second node includes at least one of the second connection endpoint and a second proxy endpoint representing the second connection endpoint. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the detecting the timeout is based on a duration, wherein the metadata identifies at least one of the duration, a generator for determining the duration, and an input for determining the duration. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the period includes a period during which the second node has sent acknowledgment via the first TCP data stream for all data in a second TCP data stream sent in the TCP connection from the first node to the second node. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising sending a second TCP packet in by the second node to the first node including second metadata for detecting by the first node the period based on the second metadata. 
     
     
         9 . A method for sharing information for detecting an idle TCP connection, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a first node, information identifying metadata for a period during which no TCP packet including data in a first data stream sent in a TCP connection by a second node is received by the first node;   generating a TCP packet including a TCP option header identifying the metadata; and   sending the TCP packet to the second node.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising:
 detecting the period by the first node; and 
 in response to detecting the period, at least one of sending a TCP packet in the TCP connection to the second node and deactivating the TCP connection. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprises:
 receiving an empty TCP packet from the second node including no data in the first TCP data stream; and 
 resetting detecting of the period in response to receiving the empty TCP packet. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein detecting the period comprises:
 receiving from the second node a second TCP packet in the TCP connection; 
 identifying metadata, in the second TCP packet, for detecting by the first node the period; and 
 detecting the period based on the second metadata and the information. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein deactivating includes at least one of closing the connection, sending a TCP packet including a reset indication to the first node, and releasing a resource previously allocated for the connection by the first node. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising modifying, based on the information, at least one of a keep-alive option, a TCP user timeout, a retransmission timeout, an acknowledgment timeout, and another timeout associated with the TCP connection. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising:
 detecting a timeout based on the information; and 
 sending to the second node a TCP keep-alive packet in the TCP connection. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9  wherein detecting the period includes detecting a period in the period, during which the first node has received acknowledgment for all data in a second TCP data stream sent in the TCP connection by the first node to the second node. 
     
     
         17 . A system for sharing information for detecting an idle TCP connection, the system comprising:
 an instruction processing unit for executing an instruction included in at least one of a net in-port component, an idle time period option handler component, an ITP policy component, a connection state component, and a net out-port component;   the net in-port component for receiving, from a first node, a first transmission control protocol (TCP) packet;   the idle time period option handler component for detecting a TCP option header, in the first TCP packet, identifying metadata for a period, detectable by the first node, during which no TCP packet including data in a first TCP data stream sent, in a TCP connection, by the second node is received by the first node;   the ITP policy component for detecting a timeout, based on the metadata, associated with the TCP connection; and   at least one of the connection state component for, in response to detecting the timeout, deactivating the TCP connection and the net out-port component for, in response to detecting the timeout, sending a TCP packet in the TCP connection to the first node.   
     
     
         18 . A system for sharing information for detecting an idle TCP connection, the system comprising:
 an instruction processing unit for executing an instruction included in at least one of an idle time period policy component, a packet generator component, and a net out-port component;   the idle time period policy component for receiving, by a first node, information identifying metadata for a period during which no TCP packet including data in a first data stream sent in a TCP connection by a second node is received by the first node;   the packet generator component for generating a TCP packet including a TCP option header identifying the metadata; and   the net out-port component for sending the TCP packet to the second node.   
     
     
         19 . A computer readable storage medium embodying a computer program, executable by a machine, for sharing information for detecting an idle TCP connection, the computer program comprising executable instructions for:
 receiving, from a first node, a first transmission control protocol (TCP) packet;   detecting a TCP option header, in the first TCP packet, identifying metadata for a period, detectable by the first node, during which no TCP packet including data in a first TCP data stream sent, in a TCP connection, by the second node is received by the first node;   detecting a timeout, based on the metadata, associated with the TCP connection; and   in response to detecting the timeout, at least one of sending a TCP packet in the TCP connection to the first node and deactivating the TCP connection.   
     
     
         20 . A computer readable storage medium embodying a computer program, executable by a machine, for sharing information for detecting an idle TCP connection, the computer program comprising executable instructions for:
 receiving, by a first node, information identifying metadata for a period during which no TCP packet including data in a first data stream sent in a TCP connection by a second node is received by the first node;   generating a TCP packet including a TCP option header identifying the metadata; and   sending the TCP packet to the second node.